Hinge seat cutter mounted for sliding movement in two right angularly related directions



l 6, 1954 R. A. PIERCE HINGE SEAT CUTTER MOUNTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT IN TWO RIGHT ANGULARLY RELATED DIRECTIONS Filed Feb.. 28, 1951 4 Shegts-Sheet l til I Zmventor RALPH A PIERCE Otter 2g Aprll 6, 1954 R, PIERCE 2,674,280

HINGE SEAT CUTTER MOUNTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT IN TWO RIGHT ANGULARLY RELATED DIRECTIONS Filed Feb. 28, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 (I orneg April 6, 1954 R. A. PIERCE 2,674,280

HINGE SEAT CUTTER MOUNTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT IN TWO RIGHT ANGULARLY RELATED DIRECTIONS Filed Feb. 28, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Snnentor RALPH A. PIERCE Aprll 6, 1954 R plERCE 2,674,280

HINGE SEAT CUTTER MOUNTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT IN TWO RIGHT ANGULARLY RELATED DIRECTIONS 1951 4 Sheet s-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 28,

. Snventor RALPH '4. PIERCE (Iltorneg Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE HINGE SEAT CUTTER MOUNTED FOR SLID- ING MOVEMENT IN TWO RIGHT ANGU- LARLY RELATED DIRECTIONS Ralph A. Pierce, Youngstown, Ohio Application February 28, 1951, Serial No. 213,172

42 Claims. 1

This invention relates to woodworking apparatus and more particularly to a novel device for facilitating the hanging of doors in the construction and repair of residential housing, for example;

l-Ieretofore the cperationsinvolved in properly hanging or mounting a door have been tedious and, exacting. Ordinarily the job requires the services of a skilled craftsman for a considerable period of time and anaccordingly high expense is incurred. Even for a skilled craftsman, however, thetask is one of considerable diiiiculty and often the results are manifested binding or otherwise improper functioning of doors. As may be understood, it is of extreme importance that the hinges be mounted to the door and lambs in substantially perfect vertical alignment if binding is to be avoided. To accomplish this much recutting and shimming is generally necessary, andthese cut and try methods are resorted to until the door feels right to the craftsman. If a hinge recess is out too deep the use of shims may be resorted to in correcting the fault. However, if the recess is too large in its other dimensions an unsightly defect remains in the door and/or sash which must be corrected by makeshift materials such as wood filler or the like. It is accordingly the primary object of this invention to provide a novel device which is operative to accurately form hinge-receiving recesses in doors and jambs in substantially perfectvertical alignment and which is operative to do so in such manner as to virtually insure dimensionally correct recesses.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus of the character described-which is operative to form opposing recesses in the door and jamb simultaneously while the door is temporarily retained in the closed position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of the above type which incorporates quickly adjustable means of determining each of the physical dimensions of a recess to be cut in order to accommodate any of the several commercially common sizes and shapes of hinges. The incorporation of these novel features assures speed in the operation of the apparatus. As will be understood, in residential construction work it is advantageous to -hang the several doors of a house in as short a time as possible inasmuch as the nature of the work. is sucli that other important work is often held up during this period. By utilizing my apparatus it is possible to dispcnse with the measuring and seeing operations,

heretofore of extreme importance, and thus the task is rendered one of mere mechanical repetition, requiring little human skill and capable of being accomplished in the shortest possible time. A further object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of the above described character which is compact, light and easily carried from place to place.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby the apparatus may be quickly and positively secured to a door when once properly positioned, so that it will thereafter be firmly retained in position during operation. The above-mentioned means is further helpful in that the operator may leave the apparatus after only partially completing a cutting operation and may later continue the operation Without repositioning the apparatus. Further; the character of the above mentioned means is such that should it become necessary for the operator to remove the apparatus before completing a out he may even then replace it precisely in its original position without remeasuring or otherwise performing needless positioning preliminaries.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of this character wherein a major portion of the apparatus positioned eccentrically to one side of thaax' of. the cutting means. As may be understood, 'door frames are manufactured in various odd and ornamental shapes. This is in contrast to the edging of the door which is ordinarily flat. For this reason it is desirable to position the apparatus solely upon the edging of the door, with as little a portion as possible projecting over the frames or lambs.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of thisv character whichmay be utilized for cutting hinge-receiving recesses in either edge of a door with substantially equal facility.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon full consideration of the following detailed specification and accompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed a certain preferred, embodiment of the invention.

In. the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevationxof apparatus constructed according to the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing details of the construction thereof and showing means of regulating the depth of out;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line VV of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an exploded view of the collet chuck device shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line VIIVII of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line VIII--VIII of Figure 3;

Figures 9 and 10 are side and top views, respectively, of means used to position the apparatus with respect to the top and bottom of a door;

Figure 11 is a sectional view of a detent arrangement as utilized to retain the means of Figures 9 and 10 in any of its various positions;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line XII-XII of Figure 2;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing a method of positioning the apparatus in preparation for cutting a recess for a bottom hinge; and

Figure 14 is a fragmentary front elevation of a door and jamb showing the positioning of apparatus of the invention thereon and showing the outline of the recess formed therein.

The embodiment of the invention herein described comprises a base plate it which is adapted to fit snugly against the edging ii of a door l2 (see Figures 13 and 14). Attached to the base plate 18 by means of bolts l3, and directed rearwardly therefrom, are guide pieces [4 which are adapted to be inserted between the door 12 and jamb i5 therefor to thus properly position the base plate ill with respect to the said door and jamb.

Integral with the base plate if.) and extending forwardly therefrom is a forwardly extending guide plate It the plane of which is disposed in parallel relation to that of the guide pieces !4. In the upper and lower edges of the guide plate l6 are formed vhaped grooves H for the reception of anti-friction balls 23 as will become apparent.

Adapted for movement along the guide plate i6 is a slide [8 which is mounted by means of spaced horizontally disposed guide rails l9 and 20 which have inwardly directed V-shaped grooves positioned opposite to the similar grooves ll of the guide plate It. As shown in Figure 4, the spaces defined by the oppositely disposed V-shaped grooves of the guide plate it and rails 89 and 20 are adapted to retain a plurality of anti-frictional balls 23 which insure effortless movement of the slide I8 along the guide plate [6. The upper guide rail 19 is rigidly secured to the slide [8 by means of cap screws 24, while the lower guide rail 20 is provided with elongated slots 25 to receive cap screws 25 to thus permit vertical adjustment by means of screws 21. An abutment plate 28 is secured to the outer end of the horizontal guide plate It by means of suitable screws 28 and is operative to limit the outward travel of the slide is, and for the purpose of regulating the inward travel of slide I3, I have provided an elongated thumb screw 35 which is retained in the upper or fixed guide rail l9 and which may be secured in adjusted longitudinal relation thereto by means of a set screw 3| as shown. As shown, the head of screw 30 engages the plate l3 and thus limits the inward travel of the slide.

Slideably mounted on the vertically disposed slide {8 is the main or body section 32 of a motor housing 33. As shown most clearly in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing the body section 32 has an integral mounting bracket 34 which has in wardly directed V-shaped grooves 35 adapted for registry with similar grooves 36 provided in the slide member l8. In accordance with a practical construction one of the inwardly directed grooves 35 is adjustable in order that wear may be compensated for to avoid undue looseness of the parts and the resultant inaccuracies caused thereby. I have further provided, of course, abutment plates 31 which are secured to each end of the vertical slide 18 to thus limit the vertical travel of the motor housing 33.

A conventional bearing-retaining end cap 38 encloses the lower end of the housing 33 while the upper end is enclosed by a special-purpose gear head 39 which rotatably supports an end mill type cutter 43. As shown in Figures 5 and 7, motion of the motor 51 is transmitted through spur gears 58 and 59, and thence through bevel gears 60 and 6| to a sleeve 62 which is rotatably mounted in the gear head 39 by means of antifriction bearings 63 and 64. By this arrangement I have shifted the power axis of the unit outwardly toward the edge of the motor housing 33. This latter feature is quite important since it is often found that there is but little space between a door jamb and an adjoining wall and it is thus advantageous to position the cutter 48 as close as possible to the extreme edge of the apparatus. By providing bevel gears 60 and BI in order to dispose the cutter in a horizontal position while utilizing a vertically disposed motor I have rendered the unit highly compact in nature and have facilitated handling of the apparatus in use by keeping its center of gravity as close as ossible to the surface of the door.

For interchangeably mounting various cutters All I have provided sleeve 62 which is bored axially throughout and flared somewhat at its inner or right hand end as shown in Figure 6. Carried within the sleeve 62 is an axially slideable collet member Which is bored internally at its inner end to receive a cutter 40 and which has a threaded extension 66 at its outer end. A hand nut 61 is adapted to threadedly engage the extension 66 and is provided with a shoulder to bear against the outer end portion of the sleeve 62. As will be understood a cutter 40 may be firmly retained in the collet 65 by tightening the hand nut 61 to draw the collet into the sleeve 62. To facilitate tightening the hand nut 61 bores have been provided thereon which are adapted to receive a nail 63 or similar device as would normally be carried about by a craftsman havin need for my apparatus. Such a device would, of course, provide an increased leverage and would accordingly permit a greater tightening force to be exerted.

To control the movement of the cutter 40 I provide a hand grip 45 which is suitably secured to the motor housing 33 as shown and which is substantially in alignment with the axis of the cutter 40 to thus avoid any tendency of the sliding parts to bind in operation. In order to carry the apparatus from place to place and to facilitate the operation of positioning it properly upon the face of a door I have utilized a locking device which is operative to securely lock the movable motor housing 33 to the fixed guide plate IS. The said locking device comprises a cam 46 which is pivotally secured to the mounting bracket 34 by means of cap screw 41 and which is adapted, upon rotation, to frictionally restrain any movement of the parts. Asmaybe understood the apparatusmay then be carried easily by the main hand grip 45-. A knob 48 is secured rigidly to the guide plate l6 and is used by the operators free hand to aid in retaining the apparatus firmly in place during ClltliillgOD- erations.

As a principal means of supporting my apparatus durin use I provide a retractible pin assembly dd at each end of the base plate l0, psitioned substantially in vertical alignment with the center of gravity of the apparatus and slightly beyond the extent of vertical travel of the motor housing 33. As shown in Figure 12 each retractible pin assembly 49 comprises an internally bored and threaded boss 59 which is integral with the base plate It and which threadedly engages a cylinder 51. Slideably received in the cylinder 51 is a piston member 52 which has an enlarged head 53 at its outer end and a pin 54 at its inner end. A compressible coil spring 55 acts outwardly upon the piston 52 to yieldably retain the same in its retracted position. As should be apparent from the drawing, after having properly positioned the base plate til on the door l2 the operator merely strikes the upper pin with his hand or with a hammer to positively retain the apparatus in the present position.

In operation the apparatus is first properly p0- sitioned upon the door l2, with the guide pieces i i inserted between the door I 2 and jam S to insure vertical alignment, and is pinned in place as above described. The cam 46 is then released permitting the housing 33 to be lowered until contact is made between the mounting bracket 34 and the lower abutment plate 31. This provides positive definition of the lower edge of the recess and the cutter is thereupon moved inwardly to make the first cut. The depth of the cut is of course regulated by the setting of the adjustable thumb screw 30 which isgoverned by the physical dimensions of the hinge to be accommodated. The housing and cutter are then drawn outwardly to clear the face of the edging H and-are raised vertically a distanc approximately equal to the vertical-height of the hinge 56. The hinge is then placed with its lower edge resting on an outwardly extending portion of the lower abutment 3! and the motor housing 33 is adjusted vertically until a projecting pin 43, retained in the mounting bracket 34, contacts the upper edge of the hinge. This provides an accurate definition of the upper edge of the recess and the second cut is accordingly made at this point. It will be observed from Figurev 8 that several pins 4-3 have been provided. This is necessary, as will be understood, since a pin must be provided for each diameter of cutter used in the apparatus.

Having thus accurately formed the upper and lower extremes of the recess the remainder may be cut. at random as best suits the user of the apparatus-the final result being afrecess having an outline as shown by broken lines in Figure 14.

It will be understood that should it be necessary or desirable to position the hinge at the left hand side of the door, rather than the right as shown, the apparatus is merely inverted and the above described operations are again followed.

In order to eliminate the need for measuring and marking in order to properly position the apparatus I have provided an indicating rod 44 which. has therein aseries ofannular-grooves 1|) as shown. A mounting block H is secured to thebase plate. ill by means of cap screws (2V andretains a spring lball detent. arrangement for regpositions as dictated by the grooves 10. Secured to each end of the rod 44 is a radially extending arm 13 which is adapted to extend rear-.

wardly of thebase plate l0. As shown in Figure 12, inorder to position the apparatus for cutting the upper recess the rod 44 is extended up-. wardly with the upper arm 13 directed rear.-.v

wardly. The positioning oftthe grooves'lllis-such that by resting the upper arm 13 .upon the upper edge of the door I2 the apparatus is automatically placed in the correct verticalrelation tothe top of the door. It will be noted that the arms 13: are positioned at right angles as shownin Figure By this arrangement at least one of they 10. arms may be in flat relation to the base plate 10 and thus does not. interfere with the inward travel of the housing 33. The physical characteristics of the apparatus are such however that it is not necessary for both arms to lieflat at the sametime.

Figure 13 shows the method of using the rod 44 to position the apparatus for cutting the lower recess. As. shown. the rod is extended downwardly and is retained thus. at. its uppermost groove 10. The rod then provides a leg which is operative to support the apparatus at the cor-.

rect height, whereupon it is pinned securely to.

the door as explained.

It should now be apparent that I have accom plished the objects initially set forth. I; have provided a relatively. simple device which is operative to quickly and accurately form hinge-receiving recess in doors and jambs. My deviceeliminates all trial and-error from the operation and substantially precludes the. possibility of mistake. In using. my apparatus substantially noth-.

My apparatus has been constructed in such manner as tomake itrugged and compact and well adapted to be carried from job to job as is required of apparatus of this. character. The.

cam lock feature oi?v the invention: permits the. operator to secure allmoving. partsagainst movement and thus greatly facilitate positioning the apparatus as well as carrying it about. Further, the use of retractiblev pins provides an easy. and quick means of securing. the apparatus to a door fora cutting operation which effectively remainsv out of the way when not innse.

Mechanically, I have provided numerous desirable features in my invention. The method of. supporting and guiding the motor housing. is

relatively inexpensive in construction yet is oper-.v

ative to provide an extremely accurate and effortless movement. My method of.- mounting the cutter is a simple and extremely compact arrangement which facilitates use of the apparatus in places with little clearance. Further, the entire arrangement is such that the device may be used with equal facility in either the upright or inverted position as may be required by the circumstances.

Since the axis of the cutter is automatically aligned at right angles to the plane of the plate It), the hinge-receiving mortises cut in the door and jamb in installing any particular door will be accurately aligned longitudinally (vertically) and will be uniform depth from the face of the door regardless of wavy irregularities in the jamb, and therefore the hinge pins will be accurately aligned. The door will swing free and easy without danger of binding at any hinge.

It should be understood, however, that the embodiment of the invention herein shown and specifically described is intended to be illustrative only as many alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference should therefore be had to the appended claims in determining the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In woodworking apparatus of the type comprising a base plate adapted to be placed against the front face of a door, a motor, means associated with said motor and said base plate to support said motor for movement in two right angularly related directions in a plane normal to said door, cutter means carried by said motor, and means carried by said base plate to align said cutter means with an edge of said door; the improvement in said means to support said motor comprising a flat guide plate rigidly secured to and extending forwardly from said base plate, said guide plate having spaced forwardly extending grooved side edges lying in a plane parallel to the edge of said door, a slide member positioned immediately adjacent said guide plate, said slide member having spaced guide rails thereon overlying said grooved side edges, said guide rails having grooves therein adapted for registry with the grooved side edges of said guide plate, a plurality of anti-friction balls retained in said grooves and grooved side edges, said slide member having spaced grooved side edges extending normally to said first mentioned side edges in a plane parallel thereto, mounting means on said motor disposed longitudinally of said motor and immediately adjacent thereto, said mounting means having spaced grooves adapted for registry with the grooved side edges of said slide, and a plurality of anti-friction balls retained in said last mentioned grooves and grooved side edges.

2. In woodworking apparatus of the type comprising a base plate adapted to be placed against the front face of a door, a motor, means associated with said motor and said base plate to support said motor for movement in two right angularly related directions in a plane normal to said door, cutter means carried by said motor, and means carried by said base plate to align said cutter means with an edge of said door; the improvement in said means to support said motor comprising a fiat guide plate rigidly carried by said base plate and disposed in parallel relation to said plane, said guide plate extending forwardly from said base plate and having spaced forwardly extending guiding edges, a slide comprising a plate positioned immediately adjacent said guide plate and in a plane parallel thereto,

said slide having spaced guiding edges extending normally to said first mentioned guiding edges, guide rails carried by said slide in overlying relation to said first mentioned guiding edges and adapted to cooperate with said guiding edges to guide said slide for movement toward or away from said base plate, mounting means on said motor having spaced guiding edges positioned immediately adjacent said motor and adapted to overlie the guiding edges of said slide whereby in cooperation with said last mentioned guiding edges to guide said motor in movement with respect to said slide in a direction parallel to said base plate.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 further characterized by cam means carried in fixed relation to said motor and adapted upon rotation thereof to frictionally engage the surface of said guide plate whereby to simultaneously restrain movement of said motor relative to said slide and of said slide relative to said guide plate.

4. In woodworking apparatus of the type comprising a base plate adapted to be placed against the front face of a door, a motor, means associated with said motor and said base plate to support said motor for movement in two right angularly related directions in a plane normal to said door, cutter means carried by said motor, and means carried by said base plate to align said cutter means with an edge of said door whereby said cutter means may be manipulated for cutting a recess in the edge of said door; the improvement in said apparatus characterized by mounting said motor in parallel relation to said base plate and said door edge, providing said motor at one axial end with a gear head adapted to support an end mill type cutter for rotation about an axis normal to said base plate, said gear head being so disposed on said motor as to locate the axis of said cutter in substantially ofiset relation whereby When said cutter is aligned with said door as aforesaid the axis of said motor will line substantially within the peripheral limits of said door, said gear head including a collet adapted upon longitudinal movement to operatively grip a cutter extending rearwardly from said gear head, and means positioned forwardly of said gear head engaging said collet to effect longitudinal movement thereof for gripping or releasing a cutter member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 417,116 Thackara Dec. 10, 1889 770,180 Lockett sept. 13, 1904 809,954 Huber Jan. 16, 1906 914,962 Letner Mar. 9, 1909 1,524,234 Carter Jan. 27, 1925 1,865,576 Luginbuhl July 5, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 625,445 Great Britain June 28, 1949 

